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Keto Diet: Ketones vs Glucose for Brain Function | Nutrition

Ketosis is a metabolic state where the liver takes proteins and fat and produces molecules to use for energy. Ketosis allows a starving person to survive for days (or even months). Some athletes see improvements while others feel miserable whenever they are in a condition that is ketogenic. Is a ketogenic diet right for you?

Ketogenic Diet and the Brain

Your brain is about 2 percent of your body mass, even though it requires approximately 20 percent of your basal metabolic rate, more if you are a thinker. Various parts of your brain use different amounts of glucose, and almost twice as much in the morning. You will need to fuel your mind more if you are using your mind working hard through the day and solving problems. If you’re working more on engine control, (state a skill involving precision or equilibrium), then you will use less glucose. Many people can attest to how much energy is used by the brain when challenged.

Although sugar is run off by our brains rather than fat, they are also able to run off of ketones as an alternate fuel source. People who market diets tend to be aware the simple fact that an increase in ketones improves repair and the healing of neurons and increases the neurotransmitter GABA. (GABA makes it possible to sleep. It’s also the main neurotransmitter that sleep drugs and antipsychotic drugs influence.) Due to the impact of ketones on the brain, a ketogenic diet can really help those with seizures. Of course, ketosis means you’re burning far more fat, (in the form of ketones), for energy compared to glucose, and also, for the most part, that’s usually great thing.

You won’t venture to some harmful diabetic ketosis amount as long as you are generating even only a tiny amount of insulin. So as long as you are not Type 2 or a Type 1, there is nothing to immediately worry about. However, to stay in a state of ketosis, you typically need to eat less than 50g of carbs per day if not less than that. In this state, the body’s functions are based on fat rather than glycogen, and the brain is based on ketones instead of glucose.

People wishing to achieve ketosis can not consume an excessive amount of protein. This means no more than 150g per day. Protein could be converted into glycogen and as it may have been mentioned before by professionals, this protein can also be used to make glucose and you would throw the body out of ketosis.

Ketones vs Glucose

So, should you attempt to achieve this ketogenic state? For many people, they need to do it at least to change their body from insulin resistance. Again, like most things, it is very individualized. If you’re severely resistant this might be your way out of it and about the road to health again.

Overall, most people could do much better, (significance become more fit and more healthy), eating less carbs. But when they don’t need to, some people have a tendency to go to the stress and extreme carbs. Many people also fear insulin because everything we read about obesity, cancer, and pretty much any disorder talks about insulin and inflammation. But remember it is all about making just the right amount. Insulin is not a bad guy, just too much of it is. If you don’t make insulin when you ought to be you’re really in a more dire situation than becoming insulin resistant.

It typically takes two to three weeks to really shift your body over to fat from using glucose as a main fuel source, which is with an extremely low carb, high fat diet plan. Merely tweaking your diet a little bit won’t do the job. You have to go to the more extreme for a few weeks, and after that you can add in some carbohydrates and determine how you react to them, mentally and physically. The nice thing about changing your body from sugar burning is that you also won’t convert back to being a sugar-burner if you consume too many carbs for a brief period of time.

Whether your want to be in ketosis or not is your choice, but you should be able to go days with no carbs (other than veggies) in your diet plan. Carbohydrates should generally only be consumed when you only want to eat them, like pizza, or anything you are into, or once you are training hard or extended.

Remember, even if you’re only eating about 2,000 calories per day then 100g of carbohydrates is only 20 percent of your diet plan. You’re getting the identical amount of protein and the fat is left by that around 60 percent, which is grams of fat. (Fat is 9 calories per gram; protein and carbohydrates are every 4 cals.) You are going to want some more carbs, if you are training hard. You’ll need some carbohydrates. If you’re trying to select a diet , training difficult or in any medium to high intensity for a period. Therefore, if you are going to try a diet do it in the off season when you are building a strong base or when you’re in a recovery interval in racing or training hard.

On a clinical note, many individuals perform well staying in ketosis for more than a month or two months, max. Health disorders and pain have been a result of being in a ketogenic condition for such a long time. The diet helps people progress mentally and physically, but it can turn on them, without proper understanding. Therefore, if you’re going to go keto, have a rest every few months or so, and see how you operate and feel in and out of ketosis.

The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .

By Dr. Alex Jimenez

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